Ms McDonald challenged the Government to accept the recommendations expected soon from a Dáil housing committee. These will include increasing the rent supplement; giving better housing supports; and linking rent increases to the rate of inflation.

Replying for the Government, Education Minister Richard Bruton said housing was the biggest problem facing Government.

“There is no system more broken than the system of housing in this country. The system is completely broken and needs to be re-built,” he frankly said.

Mr Bruton said more people had got increased rent supports and the Housing and Planning Minister, Simon Coveney, was committed to action on a number of levels.

The Minister said the only remedy was to increase supply in social and commercial housing.